The autoimmune diabetes Accelerator Prevention Trial (adAPT) at Dundee University will involve contacting every one of the 6400 Scottish families affected by the condition.

It will examine the possibility that an inexpensive drug could prevent people developing the life-altering condition.

Professor Terence Wilkin, of Exeter University medical school, is carrying out the study with Professor Stephen Greene of Dundee University and the Tayside Clinical Trials Unit at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee .

The trial is in Scotland as the country has the world’s third highest type 1 diabetes rate, a records system to identify affected families and a group of paediatric diabetologists.

Tayside is the first centre to start recruitment for adAPT but the study will move to the other 10 health boards in Scotland before going into England.

Dr Vicky Alexander, clinical lead children’s diabetes service NHS Tayside, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this exciting study.”

One of the first children to sign up for the trial is Cale Hutchison, 12, of Milnathort, Kinross-shire whose dad, Mike, has type 1. Cale said: “I’ve always been aware my dad had diabetes. He has an insulin pen and has to inject himself three times a day so a lot of the time if we’re going out he has to do that first.”

Mike had a hypo when Cale was staying with him at his Stornoway home a few years ago. Cale said: “It was weird and scary because he wasn’t acting the way he normally would.”

Cale’s mum Lynsey spotted the poster for the trial in a doctor’s waiting room.

Professor Terence Wilkin is leading the research.

“I fitted the bill so I said I’d take part. I want to help prevent other people getting diabetes but I also want to know if I’m likely to get diabetes,” Cale said.

In the trial, kids aged five to 16 who have a sibling or parent with type 1 diabetes will be invited for a blood test to see if they’re at high risk of developing the disease. If so, they’ll be invited to take part in the trial.

Researchers will then examine the effect of giving metformin, the most common diabetes medicine, to them.

Wilkin said: “If successful, the trial will offer a means of preventing type 1 diabetes with a cost-effective medication.”